Empowering small businesses to succeed

Zenefits vs. Workday: Key Features

The full list of features is significant, especially Workday’s, but the main difference between the two services is in their centerpieces:

Zenefits:

• Payroll management with tax filing automation.
• Benefits administration for health insurance and retirement plans.
• Time and attendance tracking with scheduling tools.
• Compliance assistance for labor laws and employee onboarding.

Workday:

• Comprehensive talent management, including recruiting and development.
• Workforce planning and budgeting tools.
• Advanced analytics and reporting for strategic decisions.
• Financial management for budgeting and expense tracking.

Zenefits vs. Workday: Similarities

Despite a lot of differences, the services do have something in common. They:

• Are both powered by cloud-based solutions.
• Help automate hr processes.
• Support integration of other tools and services (but the list of tools itself differs in many ways).
• Try to prioritize a positive employee experience.

Zenefits vs. Workday: Differences

When comparing Zenefits vs. Workday, differences become clear:

1. The target audience is different. One service has small and medium-sized companies, while the other has large companies. While Workday does offer a separate suite of solutions for smaller companies, that’s not its focus.
2. Payment policy. Workday’s subscription price depends on the number of connected employees, while Zenefits has free features and additional fees for more complex ones.
3. Workday has one of the most comprehensive lists of features and tools on the market, while Zenefits fixates on a simple and easy to learn tool that you can start using quickly.

Zenefits vs. Workday: Pros and Cons

Zenefits Pros:

• More suited to smaller companies, especially if they aren’t willing to spend months mastering the tools.
• Clear and friendly interface.
• Pre-built workflows streamline HR tasks.

Zenefits Cons:

• Limited opportunity for companies that plan to grow or need sophisticated analytics.
• Basic reporting compared to Workday.

Workday Pros:

• Analytics and features at the level of tech industry pioneers, with AI.
• Comprehensive HR and financial tools.

Workday Cons:

• Higher cost structure.
• More difficult to learn (can take months to fully understand).

Zenefits vs. Workday: Pricing

Zenefits pricing, depending on feature set, ranges from $10 to $33 per employee per month.

Workday’s pricing is custom and depends on organizational size and specific needs, often requiring a substantial initial investment. But some of its tools, such as Workday Adaptive Planning, have a free trial period.

5 Recommendations for Choosing Between Zenefits vs. Workday

1. Analyze your business size and plans for growth

Smaller companies are fine with simple plans, and Zenefits’ out-of-the-box solution sets fully meet their HR needs. On the contrary, large companies (500+ employees) with complex hierarchies and international departments are more likely to choose Workday, which is perfectly scalable.

2. Determine what functions you really need

In the Zenefits vs. Workday comparison, Zenefits is an ideal choice if you mainly need to pay payroll, automate compliance, and manage benefits. For example, Zenefits will automate ACA reporting and definitely make onboarding new employees easier. But if a company needs advanced tools like financial projections, Workday with powerful analytics and the use of AI is a better option.

3. Determine how much you’re willing to spend

Zenefits has clear and predictable rates. Workday only works after an individual service estimate and can cost over $100,000 per year for large organizations.

4. Understand if you need the integration of other tools

Zenefits easily integrates Slack, Google Workspace, and Salesforce. Workday supports more complex integrations, such as with ERP systems like SAP that integrate financial and HR reporting.

5. Decide how much time you’re willing to spend to master the tools

Zenefits allows you to implement and train employees quickly, while Workday can take 6 to 12 months to implement due to its complexity.

Zenefits vs. Workday: Use Cases

Zenefits Use Cases

• Small businesses that need to automate HR processes

A tech startup with 25 employees will use Zenefits to manage benefits and payroll. Zenefits will simplify health insurance enrollment. Time tracking tools will also help managers easily manage schedules and approve vacation requests.

• Retail businesses with hourly employees

Zenefits’ time and attendance tracking features are especially useful for retail businesses. For example, a chocolate store owner with 10 part-time employees can use it to easily manage schedules, account for overtime, and accurately calculate payroll. Employees can check their own schedules and request vacations through the mobile app.

Workday use cases

• Talent management in a large corporation

A global corporation with 5,000 employees can use Workday to manage recruitment and retention. AI-enabled tools can help in building effective teams, with the right mix of employees with different talents and habits. For example, a healthcare company can use Workday to identify employees better suited for leadership.

• Global organizations that operate in different countries

Companies like an IT consulting firm with offices in the U.S., Europe, and Asia can take advantage of Workday’s scalability. Workday supports salary calculations with translation to different currencies, and regularly updates data on laws in different countries.

Final Thoughts on Zenefits vs. Workday: Which Is Best For Business?

Choosing between Zenefits vs. Workday remember about your needs. Zenefits is suitable for small and medium-sized companies that need help right now and don’t want to spend a lot of time figuring out complex tools.

Workday, on the contrary, is suitable for large enterprises that need advanced analytics, scalability and integration capabilities.